backpacking

HELLO! Greetings from India. I’ve been here a month and leave soon for Dubai. Here are some pics of my time here. I have seen Punjab, Delhi, Agra (Taj Mahal) and Goa. India has been a series of ups and downs. It truly is unlike any place I have ever visited and I have only touched the surface. I suppose a return visit is in order. The ups have been having Dempy (of Dempy Kaur Photography) as a travel companion (and interpreter), staying with her relatives in a Pubjab village, the home cooked meals, air conditioning and how inexpensive this country is. The downs have been both of us being sick (so horrible), heat that we are not used to and now the rains in Goa (this is the least “down” and I am going to enjoy it despite that). Also seeing such poverty amongst riches is trying and hard. I am not sure what to make of it. The poverty affects so much – the environment hurts, animals hurt and people hurt. They do what they have too. It is so different than what I know. Yet that is why I travel – to see and hopefully learn.

Anyway, here is a bit of India:

Punjab town

The stunning Golden Temple, Amriitsar

Rickshaw

Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib in Anandpur Sahib

Friends

Food at the Sikh temple

I am happy to count all the home cooked meals I had in India among the best food I have ever enjoyed.

Selfies at Wonderland Amusement Park

Display at Rangla Punjab Haveli

Traditional dancing show at Rangla Punjab Haveli

The yummy food at Rangla Punjab Haveli

Farming village in Punjab (animal foods are stored in these)

Farmland in the village I stayed in

Beautiful sunset in Punjab

Fresh cinnamon that is home grown. I had never seen such large cinnamon sticks before. They smelled amazing – so fresh.

This calf is so adorable.

The colours of India

A camel hanging around a parking lot in Chandigarh.

Display at the cool Nek Chand Rock Garden, Chandigarh

Mosaic statues, Nek Chand Rock Garden

Last sunset in Katana, Punjab

India Gate, New Delhi

India Gate Canopy

Chandni Chowk in Delhi. I didn’t spend too much time here as the rains came down hard.

The beautiful Taj Mahal, Agra

Taj Mahal from one of its many gardens

Rush hour in Delhi

Streets of Baja, Goa

Beach bar/restaurant in Baga

Baja Beach, Goa

Tourist shops and palm trees

All photos taken and owned by Wanders The World/Eeva Valiharju

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Oh Beograd, how you surprised me. Belgrade was my “entry” point to Eastern Europe. I spent ten days there as I applied for my Indian Visa at the Indian Embassy there. In that time I encountered such great people. Not only the wonderful people I met from around the globe at my hostel (and it’s wonderful staff) but from people on tours and those helping me out for whatever the reason. Not a typically pretty city from a tourist point of view but a city that keeps moving forward despite its ravaged and complex history. From prehistoric times to the current area this city has been rebuilt over forty times. Its history it not always pleasant but Belgrade seems to be a phoenix of city, coming back to life over and over again.

All photos taken and owned by Wanders The World/Eeva Valiharju

A street in Belgrade

I took a Communist Walking Tour and we stopped here – a reminder of the NATO bombings in 1999 during the Kosovo War

I find beauty in some old abandoned buildings. Near the Sava River, this one was especially beautiful to me

Belgrade’s famous street art mural – portion of La Santa de Beograd

Along the Sava River

Monument to the Jews who lost their lives during WWII

The Millennium Tower in Zemun area of Belgrade (it officially joined Belgrade a number of years ago)

On the Underground Belgrade Tour we stopped at this unused 1948 military bunker that was unearthed several years ago in Kalamegdan Park.

The Gunpowder Warehouse was a storehouse built by Austrians during the Hapsburg Empire within a fortress. It now houses ancient Roman tombs for people to explore. In the 2000s it used to host parties and raves.

Sign outside of Blaznavac Kafe-Bar. A cool place for a drink

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Ohrid is a small city in southern Macedonia and is situated on Lake Ohrid. Two-thirds of this lake belongs to Macedonia while the other third belongs to Albania. Ohrid is a very picturesque city of approx. 40,000 residents. Nestled along the hillside there are numerous Orthodox churches, Samuil’s Fortress, an old amphitheatre and numerous streets to get lost in. The small port offers tours to the Monastery of St Naum (across the lake, near Albanian border) or around the Ohrid area. With the sun shining on the dark turquoise blue waters I enjoyed my stay in this lovely area of Macedonia.

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Today’s Map Project installment is by Kieran. He will be showcasing Dublin, Ireland. Thanks Kieran!

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Eeva has now visited many places in Europe but never Ireland – until now when she decided to venture there. During her time there she sent text messages to us saying how much she loved it and that she would go back. It is a great place to visit in Europe

Serious St Patrick’s Day face with fun tattoos

Dublin , is the largest city in all of Ireland with a population of 1,110627 and it covers 44.5 square miles of land. Eeva had planned to be in Ireland for St. Patricks Day. There was a huge festival with a giant parade that has a lot of cool venues to visit. Eeva really enjoyed the parade a lot. She sent us a great picture of her all dressed up for St. Patty’s Day. Did you know that Dublin has two different names? The first is Baile Atha Cliath meaning Ford of the Reed Hurdels, and the second is Dubh Linn, which means Black Pool.

Entrance to The Guinness Storehouse

In 1759, Arthur Guinness made the deal of his life when he rented a brewery for 45 pounds annually and took it for 9000 years!!! It is now were the legendary beer Guinness is made daily. There is 10 million pints of Guinness made there every day. Did you know that Dubliners drink 9 800 pints of Guinness beer in a hour between the hours 5:30pm Friday, and 3:00am on Sunday?!

The O’Connell Bridgein Dublin was originally built in 1801 but then it was re-built in 1863 and it’s still standing today. Also the O’Connell bridge is the only bridge in the world to be the same width as the length, 50 meters by 50 meters.

Trinity College lit up green for St Patrick’s Day

Dublin was founded by Vikings in 9th century in an area that they called “Norse Kingdom of Dublin.” Dublin has the youngest population in all of Europe with 50% of the population is under 25 year of age. Ireland’s Book of Kellsis a sacred manuscript, which consists of the gospels of the new testament. The beautiful, gold book was made by Celtic Monks around 800 AD, and it now lies in Trinity College Library.

Eeva made many new friends in Dublin through Couch Surfing and through her hostel. I know Eeva had a great time in Dublin and that she would go back! Eeva’s next adventure is in Berlin.